A recent policy change at Texas A&M University-Victoria has sparked significant backlash among faculty members as the institution shifts to requiring on-campus attendance. After years of remote work options that allowed many staff to reside over two hours away, this new mandate has left educators feeling unsettled at the start of the semester.
The university’s updated regulations stipulate that employees must adhere to a five-day, 40-hour work week in person, aligning with state law. This decision was communicated via an email in June, which stated that all full-time faculty would be required to be physically present on the Victoria campus during the workweek unless they obtained written permission for remote work. Representatives from the Texas American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers chapter voiced concerns about the short notice given to faculty, which they argue did not allow adequate time for necessary adjustments.
Teresa Klein, president of Texas AAUP-AFT, expressed her discontent in a letter addressed to university leadership, highlighting issues of “overcompliance or misapplication” of state law. She noted that the abrupt nature of the new requirement has forced many faculty members to scramble to reorganize their personal and professional schedules, potentially leading to adverse effects, particularly for female faculty and those facing long commutes.
The extent of the policy’s impact on faculty remains uncertain. University President Christian Hardigree previously indicated that 31% of faculty members were the only individuals residing in their respective zip codes at the start of her tenure last year, while 73% of remaining faculty members lived in the Houston area.
In a statement, Hardigree emphasized that the university is welcoming a freshman class that is 23% larger than the previous year, underscoring the need for faculty to be “present, accessible, and fully engaged” in the academic environment. Texas A&M University-Victoria serves approximately 3,300 students and maintains a 15:1 student-faculty ratio.
“Our taxpayers deserve public employees who fulfill a complete workload,” Hardigree remarked. She acknowledged that faculty responsibilities encompass teaching, research, and service, noting that while flexibility in work arrangements is important, it should not exempt faculty from accountability.
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 2615, which restricts public colleges and universities from allowing telework for employees, except under specific circumstances. This legislation defines telework as performing “institutional business” from a location other than the designated workplace during work hours.
Under this law, teaching staff are exempt only if they are not full-time faculty, are on temporary research assignments, or if their assigned classes qualify for remote instruction. Notably, the bill does not specify a minimum number of days or hours an employee must be on campus if they are not exempt.
Texas A&M University-Victoria, situated approximately 120 miles from Houston, transitioned from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M System on September 1. Hardigree stated that the university has been in communication with faculty regarding teaching responsibilities and the necessity for a substantial campus presence for over a year, emphasizing the importance of accountability and institutional excellence.
In her letter, Klein pointed out that most other Texas colleges and universities are not enforcing strict on-campus attendance requirements beyond normal teaching, research, and office hours, although some institutions do mandate a certain number of days or hours on campus. She urged the university’s president and provost to promptly revoke the new policy.
